In the time I studied in University (which haven’t finished yet), there are many moments which contribute to shaping my characteristic nowaday. Among all of them, I can not miss the time I met Associate Professor Lê Hoài Bắc in Introduction to Artificial Intelligence class. He suggested me to participate in 2 programs: TFSCALE – Learning Express of Singapore Polytechnic (quite interesting, however, it is another story) and Internship at JAIST, Japan. Those experiences keep pushing and make me have another perspective about studying abroad, which I saw as “problem of someone else” or just for rich people. This year, a brief calculation shows that 10 fellow students ask me about how to apply for JAIST internship. Maybe I am the witness for “if he can do it, so do I”, or because of this “nice thing”. Whatever it is, I promise a new storm of HCMUS is going to make landfall on Japan, yet also a quite challenging for candidates. Before all those documentation procedure fly into the Land of the Lost, I think it might be noted down for future use. This serial posts will be divided into small pieces in order to prevent you from indigestion or “be hopeful, be desperate” sickness like me *cheer*.

DOCUMENTATION:

I participated on March-2015, but I completed it on June-2014. Sending it to prof Bắc, but it seemed he forgot. I keep sending a several emails, until September-2014 then he replied: “Send me your document once more.” *facepalm*. The first secret ingredient: keep persistence to the end.

About paper work:

CV: I didn’t know how to write at that time, so I use the template of Lê Tấn Đăng Khoa. When getting used to with it (when you keep sending it to many place and keep being denied), in case of research environment, research a little bit about the lab, check if that prof use any template, download it immediately, both convenient and make sympathy. Basic information you shoul show: Personal information, Academic level, Research interests and experience, Skills (English, Computer), name and contact of your supervisor to guaranteer for what you said. Another way is Linkedin. With infographic, I have no comment.

Choosing lab: Normally, if you see any subjects interesting or similar to what you care about, then choose it. I’m not quite sure about profs’s expectation, to mine, he said that he want to have a paper after the internship. (After 5 revisions, I have not yet finished it T_T). The purpose of this trips have 2 main reasons: give you material for your thesis (or at least research experience), or build relationship to give you higher chance if you want to study for Master degree. In case you were accepted, pleased always remember you’re representing for your school, your country. Always makes it good and beyond the expectation of professors.

Statement of Purpose: I used to think it is like a small statement, which helps interviewers to judge your English skills and your research interests. However, it is more than that. In conclusion, they are consist of: 1 A4 paper, shows your knowing about the lab (google about it, summarize its research fields and shows similarity with your research interests). I wrote a full essay. It seems clearer if you separate them with bulletting, but I do not ensure about that. Remember to mention professor’s name.

English Transcript: 10.000đ.

After sending paper, there might be a small interview. In my case, I was accepted without interviewing. My other 2 friends both applied for Yoshitaka lab, the one has higher GPA was chosen. There will be a confirmation from JAIST, ask you to choose the duration for internship (cc for professor, so you can discuss in this email). This is the time for consider 2 things:

Schedule: google “Schedule <your school>”, download the latest one. Determine the time you finish final exam and Tet holidays. It must be larger or equal to 40 days, you can cheats on arrival and departure days, which means only 38 days =))

Buy cheap flight tickets: https://www.google.com/flights/ or http://www.skyscanner.com.vn/flights-to/cheap-flights-to-cities-all.html. It should be biased a few day to your chosen duration, find the cheapest one, especially China Eastern Airline: 10 to 12 milion VNĐ for round-trip ticket, destination: Komatsu city. Airport code of Komatsu Airport is KMQ, when I buy online via VISA card on Hongkong website of China Eastern Airline http://hk.ceair.com/, its name is changed to KAMATSU (do not worry much, even though the name is different, but they point to the same place). Book online then you have to buy it on the next day, or it will be available for someone else. This is quite confusing and headache problem, when come to JAIST, you will not received the money immediately, there should be 20.000 yen in your pocket. Each month, you will receive money on second or third Friday. You should email and ask the secretary if your internship is 40 days long, can you get the money of 2 month or not. You should not worry much about money, it seems expensive at first, but if you don’t spend much on Pokemon and travelling like me, you can be a millionaire when coming back.

If everything’s okay, the online documentation is completed. JAIST will give you more paper, print it and ask your supervisor to sign in. Go to the post office, choose express service (about 300.000 VNĐ), remember to check JAIST address.

When received, they will send their confirmation letter back to Vietnam(you don’t have to care, they also send a pdf version). Your mission is printing it out, make a VISA( with the assumption that you have your own passport before). Japan Government has policy free VISA for student, search requirement paper online, fill them in, print 2 more blank in case something is wrong, bring an USB: copy of ID card, student card and confirmation letter of JAIST. Wait for one more week and everything is done.

Scan it and send to JAIST.

One small note: don’t hesitate when rent a blanket and pillows: although it is spring, yet very cold In the worst case, campus is full then you have to live in a residential house, which will be much colder.

Before pack your luggage, ask your supervisor in Vietnam to write a confirmation that you are on intern and send it to your current school. Who knows what might happen when you are not in Vietnam?

That’s all for now, the following post will be about how to fly and interesting experience you should try when at JAIST. Good luck 🙂

Hi,
This was a really good post. I am currently trying to find a research internship in deep learning and after getting so many negatives and blanks, it really gets depressing 😓 This post gave me some very useful tips. Thanks 😁 Your other posts are also really good. Keep it up🤘

Hi, thanks for sharing your thought. It is indeed challenging and outrageous when looking for a research internship, but the effort is worthy. As you can see, my source of connection mainly from my supervisors, since they are more reliable from the interviewers’ perspective.
Your posts are really useful as well 😀 Good luck!